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Strategic Plan for the Control and Management of Albizia in Hawaii

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Strategic Plan for the Control and Management of Albizia in Hawaii STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF ALBIZIA IN HAWAIʻI Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council, 2018 STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF ALBIZIA IN HAWAIʻI Primary Author: John-Carl (JC) Watson Planner; Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council Contributions and Review by: Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Josh Atwood (HISC), Randy Bartlett (HISC), Springer Kaye (BIISC), Danielle Frohlich (SWCA), Kaulunani Urban Forestry Council, Ken Puliafico (USFS), Tracy Johnson (USFS), James Leary (UH- CTAHR), Jodi Watson, and Julie Gardner For more information visit: www.dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc Figure 1: Albizia Control Photo provided courtesy of JC Watson Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Impacts ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Infrastructure damage ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Human Health Hazards ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 Ecological Impacts ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Cultural ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Impacts: Objectives and Implementation Tasks ............................................................................................................ 8 Control Methods ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Physical Control ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Chemical Treatment ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Biological Control ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Future Technologies ................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Control Methods: Objectives and Implementation Tasks ........................................................................................ 13 Planning ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Site-Specific Management Plans ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Community Engagement ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Access .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Stakeholder Coordination ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Liability .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Planning: Objectives and Implementation Tasks ........................................................................................................ 17 Legislature, Policy, and Funding ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Legislature, Policy, and Funding: Objectives and Implementation Tasks ........................................................ 17 All Objectives and Implementation Tasks ..................................................................................................................... 19 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Introduction Albizia infests large swaths of our islands. Its rapid growth crowds out native species, its nitrogen fixing abilities change natural ecosystems, and its brittle wood breaks easily, smashing property and destroying lives. Despite being one of the most detrimental plants in our state, there is no coordinated effort to address this invasive species on a statewide scale. In 2013, Senate Resolution SR41-SD1 resolved that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC) create a comprehensive plan for the control of albizia throughout the State. The purpose of this strategic plan is not to provide site-specific management actions but to provide large-scale objectives and a framework to minimize the impacts of albizia on the environment, human health, and infrastructure by: • Describing statewide impacts of albizia • Summarizing available control methods • Recommending directions for future research on detection and control methodologies • Supporting and encouraging the development of island or site-specific management plans • Identifying priorities for HISC funding to support research, detection, and control efforts • Identifying objectives and implementation tasks to reduce impacts of albizia statewide Albizia in Hawaiʻi Native to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands, albizia (Falcataria moluccana) is a fast growing tropical tree that was introduced to Hawaiʻi in 1917 by Joseph Rock as an ornamental plant and for reforestation purposes (Elbert, et al. 2003). Approximately 140,000 albizia were planted in forestry areas throughout the state during the non-native tree forestry planting efforts in the early 20th century. This effort was prior to our understanding of how non-native and invasive plants impact our environment, and at the time albizia was valued for its rapid growth. Albizia is nitrogen fixing which allows it to thrive in nutrient deficient soils and become established in relatively intact native ecosystems. It produces large quantities of seeds, which are encased in light papery pods and can easily be dispersed over large distances. Albizia is also one of the fastest growing trees on Earth, and is capable of growing up to 15 feet per year and easily attain a height of over 35 meters or 100 feet (Hughes, et al. 2011). The rapid growth rate of this species produces a massive number of trunks and limbs that are structurally weak and brittle in nature. Large trees are prone to “sudden limb shear, ” or “sudden branch drop.” This phenomenon is defined as the sudden failure and collapse of live branches with no sign of physical weakness, and without apparent cause (Draper, et al. 2009). 2 The term "hazard tree" as defined in this strategic plan applies to all albizia trees whose height is greater than eight feet, and are growing within a distance of less than 1.5 times its height from roads, structures, power lines, hiking trails, areas of congregation, or anything of value, and whose failure will impact the aforementioned. The Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA) scores albizia at eight and is categorized as highly invasive. In 2011, the HISC passed resolution 11-2 resulting in the support of designating albizia as an invasive species. See Appendix no. 1 for complete details. Fortunately, there are aspects of albizia biology that make large-scale control and management actions feasible. First, seedlings are shade sensitive and mass germination events require that the canopy be open enough to allow ample light to penetrate to the understory layer (Hughes, et al. 2011). Secondly, there are a variety of effective methods that can be employed to control both seedlings and mature trees. On a statewide scale, there is limited information as to the location and distribution of albizia populations. In 2014, albizia populations on Hawaiʻi Island were mapped by Julie Gartner using guided classification of 8-band World View 2 imagery. Infested areas were confirmed using Pictometry (high-resolution imagery) and roadside surveys. In addition, a basic analysis of infested acres using aerial imagery was performed for Oʻahu for use within this strategic plan. Polygons were created and depict areas that have a dominant albizia canopy. It should be noted that the imagery used to create the coverage map was from 2012, and that additional analyses with Figure 2: Heavily infested areas on Oʻahu with dominant albizia canopy. more recent imagery may
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